Dr. K.T. Jaleel, Hon’ble Minister & Pro-Chancellor,
Dr. P.K. Dharmarajan, Vice Chancellor,
Dr. K.S. Ravikumar, Pro-Vice Chancellor,
Dr. M.K. Sanu,
Dr. N.V.P. Unithiri,
Dr. Kalamandalam Gopi,
Distinguished Academics, Ladies and Gentlemen,
My beloved Students, Friends in Media,
Ellaavarkkum Ente Namaskaaram.
It is with great joy that I address this Special convocation, called to confer the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters on three eminent teachers, whose contributions have enriched the literary and cultural wealth of Kerala.
Let me at the outset, convey my heartiest congratulationsto Dr. M.K. Sanu, Dr N.V.P. Unithiri and Dr. Kalamandalam Gopion receiving this Honorary Degree from the Sree Sankaracharaya University of Sanskrit, Kalady.
The Sree Sankaracharaya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, has so far honored six scholars through the conferment of the Honorary Degree of D.Litt. All the persons so far honored by this University have either contributed to the popularization of Sanskrit or upheld the beauty and greatness of Sanskrit in their writings or performances.
The decision to honor the three illustrious scholars reflects the commitment of this university to its proclaimed mission of the promotion and propagation of Sanskrit, which is regarded as the mother of many Indian languages. Sanskrit has a documented history that spans over 3500 years and its literature encompasses areas ranging from philosophy to science and religion to theater and so on. Besides, the widely noted cultural heritage of our country was handed over to us by our ancestors through the masterful use of this language. The classics of this language have very few parallels in any other language even now. Today, as we honor these scholars who have made extensive contribution to Sanskrit as well as Kerala’s culture, we are following a tradition of expressing our gratitude for unraveling before us, the matchless elegance of our literary and artistic tradition.
Kerala's educational, cultural, political and literary spheres have been brightened by the different roles played by Dr. M.K. Sanu, who is well known as a Teacher of the Teachers. Having celebrated his Navathy, he is one of the senior-most literary critics of our time. His writings have reshaped our sensibilities and guided our outlook towards literature. With his matchless command over the Indian and Western streams of literary and political thought, Sanu Mash has led his students and readers beyond the visible levels of the written texts. The conferment of some of the most significant literary awards on him reflects the reverence and recognition accorded to him by Kerala as well as the nation. No doubt, this honorary degree adds a well deserved sparkle to the respect he has earned.
I am certain that the conferment of this Honorary Doctorate would be an emotional moment for Dr. N.V.P. Unithiri, who has served this university as its first Principal Dean. As an educator, translator and scholar, he served the cause of the Sanskrit language by taking it closer to people by explaining texts through a different viewpoint. The Socio-political beliefs that guide his thoughts often reflect in his writings in a convincing manner. His service in different bodies and institutions committed to the study and research in literature, especially Sanskrit literature has been widely acclaimed.
It is not just the merit and popularity as a leading exponent of Kathakali that makes Shri V.M. Govindan Nair better known as Dr. Kalamandalam Gopi truly worthy of this Honorary Degree. This most popular Kathakali artiste of India has also been a teacher who toiled to mould generations of students as talented performers. If the image of a Kathakali artiste projects a picture of Kerala in the minds of people all over the world, the credit goes to gifted artistes like
Dr. Kalamandalam Gopi. As the last link of the glorious Kalluvazhi Chitta of Kathakali, his masterful performances and innovation remind us of the famous poetic utterance: “How can we know the dancer from the dance?” Such is the harmony in his stellar performances that his students from all over the world look upon him as a living encyclopedia on Kathakali. This honorary degree of the Sree Sankara University of Sanskrit is a humble addition to the list of honours, including Padma Shri, already bestowed on this extraordinary exponent of classical dance.
Since all the three scholars honoured today have been teachers in their respective fields, I feel that this gesture of the university also extends to the hundreds of students who were fortunate to be guided by them. After all, the students also contribute to the real worth of a teacher.
While discharging its mission of discovering, improving and disseminating knowledge, a university also has the duty of responding effectively to the socio-cultural environment in which it functions. A university that professes to further the growth of a classical language must also respond to how global phenomena like globalization affect the diversity of our languages. The death of some dialects is now a reality. Effective academic involvement of universities is required to respond to such losses.
Sanskrit, which had once influenced populations beyond national boundaries and received contributions even from far away lands, also deserves to regain its popularity through wider, global interactions. It is the duty of every university to ensure that such wider cultural interactions become a part of its functioning.
I once again congratulate all the three scholars who have received honorary degrees today and hope that their guidance and ideas would help to guide this institution in its academic pursuits in the days to come.
I also convey my best wishes to the academic community of this University.
Ellavarkkum Ente Aashamsakal
Nanni
Jai Hind
